My Favorite Icebox Cookies

This is where I usually put the photo of a cookie that didn't make it onto my short list, but the more I thought about these simple-yet-beautiful, go-with-anything Sesame Fingers, the more I realized that they deserved a place on my list of favorites. So there you go - they made it!

I can't believe it - three chapters down, two to go! For those of us (including me) who have always equated icebox cookies with "slice 'n bake" cookies, this chapter was a revelation in more ways than one. First with the shaping - icebox cookies need not be round and in fact the square, oblong and finger shapes were always well-received. Secondly, two doughs can be arranged in a variety of ways to great effect: you can wrap one around the other, you can layer them, or you can roll them together into a pinwheel. Finally, you can shape the dough in a pan (flat or loaf) or you can even put two slices together with some filling in between.

Icebox cookies take a little more time to make because of the chilling time between mixing and baking, but you can usually mix and shape the dough a day or more ahead. It's awful nice to have those cookies in the freezer just waiting to be baked!

There were no dogs this time around. The lowest scoring cookie was actually one of my favorites - the Sesame Fingers you see pictured above. These and the other cookies with seeds were not preferred by the cookie panel, but I enjoyed them all.

So now without further ado, here are my personal favorites. The first few are in no particular order. I'll save my very favorite cookie for last...


Coconut and almond filling surrounded by a chocolate cookie. These Black and White Coconut Slices are reminiscent of an Almond Joy bar and just as sweet as they look.


These Fruitcake Icebox Cookies are beautiful and tasty. The candied cherries and pineapple are key, so use the best you can find.


One of these Peanut Butter Pillows would make an impressive and substantial dessert. Each is like a little pie - two big peanut butter cookies with a dollop of peanut butter sandwiched within.


I'm a sucker for cinnamon, so it's no surprise that I fell for these Almond Spicebox Cookies. With a super-sized helping of cinnamon, these cookies are delightfully crunchy and spicy.


And the winner by a mile (the others never stood a chance) - my very favorite Cobblestones. Crunchy and chewy, loaded with nuts and raisins, this is my idea of the perfect cookie.

Next up - rolled cookies. I have to admit, I've never really enjoyed rolling out cookie dough. I have trouble getting it rolled evenly, and depending on the dough, I've had trouble with crumbling or sticking. I just sprang for a new pastry cloth and a "sock" for my rolling pin, so we'll see if they help. With any luck, rolling cookie dough will be old hat by the time I finish the chapter!

Mondays with Maida - Pinwheels

Page 152 in the old book / page 184 in the new book

These are the classic pinwheel cookie where layers of chocolate and vanilla dough are rolled together so that each cookie has an attractive spiral of chocolate. This particular version has the added element of pecans, which is a welcome addition in terms of flavor and texture, but which makes the making just a little trickier.

In regards to those pecans, let's just say that when Maida tells you to use "finely" chopped pecans, take heed. I cut each pecan half into about eight pieces, but that was too big. I failed to consider that in a rolled dough, the size of the nuts in the dough will dictate how thinly you will be able to roll it. As it turns out, mine were just slightly too big. Fortunately, I had rolled out the vanilla dough first, so it was not a problem to adjust the size of the chocolate dough. I lost about an inch in the length, so the change in thickness was minimal.



Maida advises you to roll the dough between sheets of wax paper. Here's my tip for getting the dough rolled to the correct size and shape most easily: use masking or freezer tape to mark a rectangle of the proper dimensions on your counter. It is much easier to check your progress against this template than to pull out a ruler time and again. You can see the tape through the wax paper and can trim it as necessary to achieve a perfect rectangle.



Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "I love pinwheel cookies. They are so attractive and appealing. They also had all the ingredients I like. How could you miss with chocolate, pecans, and lots of butter? The size was smaller then I expected, so I guess I’ll have to take another cookie. Rating: 5.0"

Denny: "Kind of lackluster. Only a 3, even with +1 for chocolate. Rating - 3.0"

Herman: "These are excellent and tickle my taste-buds … 5 out of 5! Rating - 5.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.3

This is the last of the icebox cookies. Stop back by tomorrow to find out which were my personal favorites. Next week we start the chapter on rolled cookies with Swedish Rye Wafers (and more caraway seeds!)

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Cardamom Cookies from Copenhagen

Page 151 in the old book / page 183 in the new book

These were good but on the plain side. I had considered cracking open some green cardamom pods so I could get some freshly ground cardamom - but I found the amount called for (1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cardamom) a little intimidating. I figured sorting out a sufficient quantity of seeds from the pods would take quite some time, so instead I used the ground cardamom I had on hand. Judging by the labeling, it's been around for a good long while. The familiar floral taste of cardamom was there... but just barely.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "Dull! No Pizzazz! After tasting the cookie, I actually I asked Cathy if the cookie was dietetic. There was very little taste to this cookie and if anything, it tasted like cement. Even the color was a very pale vanilla. I hate giving the cookies a bad rating since Cathy works so hard each week to try to please us. But… Rating: 1.0"

Herman: "These cookies are good and rich tasting … my rating is 3 out of 5 only because of taste preference. As usual … Great job!. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Delicate, delightfully light flavor. Very tasty. Rating - 4.0"

Terri: "Since I've never tasted the spice 'cardamom', I'm not sure what it tastes like! These were more of a pecan/butter cookie. Kind of a shortbread flavor... Very crunchy too. Rating - 3.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 2.8

Next week - Pinwheels

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Anise Icebox Cookies

Page 150 in the old book / page 182 in the new book

Perhaps it was an omen. These cookies nearly burnt the house down. OK, OK - it wasn't the cookies it was me. I'm the one that forgot to empty the oven before turning it on to preheat and then got distracted with something upstairs. But I still think it was an omen. People don't like anise and people don't like anise cookies.

I love biscotti flavored with fennel, so I fully expected to enjoy these cookies with the very similar flavor of anise and bright taste of lemon. But I admit that I wasn't too surprised to find that most others in my office didn't share my fondness for them - seeds in cookies haven't been terribly popular with this bunch. Near the end of the day I noticed that there were still quite a few cookies left and rather than trying to cajole someone to take them home, I decided I'd cover the box before leaving and just put the rest out again the next day. A few minutes later they were all gone. Turns out these cookies did have one fan in the office - someone who generally stays away from sweets. I'm not sure what made him taste the first one, but after that it was all over. They reminded him of some cookies his mom and sister used to make and he literally stuffed his pockets with the remaining cookies.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "I can’t decide ??? I like black licorice, but I’m not a fan of anise. I loved 'Good and Plenty’s'as a kid (boy, I haven’t had any of those in years). There is definitely a strong licorice after taste that makes me want to eat something else to get the taste out of my mouth. I like the lemony taste and crunchy texture of the cookie. I even like the oblong shape. No, I don’t think I care for this cookie. Rating: 2.0"

Denny: "OK, don't like taste of anise, but lemon covered up most of it. Rating - 2.0"

Laura: "Nice light crunchy cookie - delightful flavor, anise seeds... not so much. Rating - 3.0"

Terri: "A delicious combination of lemon and licorice flavors make this an interesting taste. I mostly taste the lemon flavoring. Since I like licorice, this slight flavor comes through also. A crunchy, thin wafer-like cookie, would be great in combination with chocolate. Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 2.6

Next week - Cardamom Cookies from Copenhagen

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Almond Spicebox Cookies

Page 148 in the old book / page 181 in the new book

OK, first off I must call your attention to the name of these cookies. I didn't get it until long after the cookies were out of the oven. Do you see it? They have almond and spice and they're icebox cookies, so.... Almond Spicebox Cookies. I like that.

Anyway, these cookies were crunchy and loaded with almonds, cinnamon and brown sugar - they reminded me of Jan Hagels, except that the almonds were on the inside. They were definitely crowd pleasers - who doesn't like cinnamon? The recipe made a huge batch, so there were plenty for the office to enjoy over two days and some for people to take home as well.

There was nothing unusual in the making of them. The only (slight) difficulty was in shaping the dough. The dough is soft and sticky, so it is spooned onto the wax paper, the paper is folded over it, and then you press the dough into shape (rather than shaping with your hands and then wrapping it). Others of the icebox cookies have been shaped in this way, but this dough was softer than most and I had a little trouble with it. Once frozen, slicing was no problem.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "Delicious! I actually ate two cookies. I usually limit myself to one. Trying to keep my girlish figure. The cookie tastes like a thin ginger bread cookie with thinly sliced almonds. The shape was long like a lady finger and the cookie had a crunch to it, but the cookie melted in your mouth. I loved this cookie. Cathy has broadened my horizons. In the past I would have only rated a cookie with chocolate in it as a 5, but I will give this cookie a 5. Rating- 5.0"

Denny: "Very good. Crunchy and not too much spice. -1 for no chocolate. Rating - 3.8"

Laura: "A wonderful blend of cinnamon and other spices, brown sugar and almonds. Delicious! Rating - 4.0"

Herman: "This week’s cookies were/are DELICIOUS … I rate them 5 out of 5 as they obviously delighted my palette! Rating - 5.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.5

Next week - Anise Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Caraway Crisps

Page 147 in the old book / page 180 in the new book

I have to admit, I had my doubts about these cookies going in. I had never used caraway in cookies before and don't generally associate caraway with sweets. I envisioned a repeat of the poppy seed fiasco. But come to think of it, caraway seeds are really wonderful in Irish Soda Bread, and that's a little sweet, right? More importantly, these cookies have just two teaspoons of caraway seeds while those poppy seed cookies had one whole cup of seeds.

As it turns out, the caraway provides a lovely accent to the crisp lemon cookies. It isn't at all overpowering and is really only noticeable when you bite into a seed. I never would have thought to put lemon and caraway together, but it works very well.

One note about making these cookies: they're very easy to make, but don't be alarmed when after mixing all the ingredients together you have a bowlful of crumbly cookie dough! The dough comes together quickly when you squeeze it and knead it with your hands for just a minute or two. Even better, it is quite easy handle and shape into a roll.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "I liked that the cookie was thin and crunchy with a lemony flavor. I even liked the taste of the caraway with the lemon. I actually liked the cookie until the last bite when a whole caraway seed caught in my back molar. All I could think of was that you can’t eat this cookie when you are with a group of people unless you don’t mind picking your teeth in front of everyone. Rating- 3.0"

Denny: "If I wasn't a Polack, I probably wouldn't have tried them. Caraway in a cookie! What!! Actually, the caraway blended well with the tartness of the lemon. Kinda smoothed it out. Very good, with only my normal 1 point deduction for not being chocolate. 4.0. Now, Chocolate Caraway Crisps might be a 5.0. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Yummy cookie, although I don't care for the flavor of the caraway seeds in the cookies. Rating - 3.0"

Terri: "These wafer-thin cookies have a delicious combination of lemony flavor and caraway. I'm not a big fan of caraway seeds (since they get caught in my teeth!), but these cookies had just the right amount of seeds. They're more on the crunchy side then chewy. Delicious! Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.4

Next week - Almond Spicebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Sesame Fingers

Page 146 in the old book / page 179 in the new book

I FOUND A MISTAKE IN THE BOOK! I am certain that this is an editing error, but I was still surprised to find it. What is even more surprising is that it appears in both the old and new books. I reviewed the recipe before I began and was amused to find the following instructions for shaping the dough before chilling, "With your hands press against the paper to mold the dough into an oblong 12 inches long, 3/4 inch wide, and 1 inch thick." Hmmm... if sliced 1/4 of an inch thick, that would make each cookie about the size of a piece of Bazooka bubble gum, wouldn't it? I think the desired dimensions are actually 12 inches long, 3 to 4 inches wide, and 1 inch thick.

I liked these cookies very much - they're attractive, they're sweet and crunchy, and they have an interesting texture because of the abundant sesame seeds within (3/4 cup). As some of the cookie panelists comment below, they are rather plain, but I don't think that's always a bad thing. In fact, I got into a bit of a debate with Denny on that very topic. (I promise I was not trying to sway his vote!) I guess it's to be expected that when you ask people to assign numerical ratings to cookies week after week, they will naturally compare one week's cookie to past offerings. The thing is, I think that these plainer cookies can be pretty great in their own right. Simplicity can be a virtue, but I think in this setting it's not usually seen that way. OK, I'll get off my soapbox now... all I'm saying is, you really ought to give these cookies a chance.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "I love sesames in everything, so I knew I would like this cookie. The butter, sesames, and vanilla almost gave the cookie a slight lemony taste. Also, the cookie's shape was attractive and reminded me of lady finger cookies. I also liked the crunchiness of the cookie with the sesames. Rating- 4.0"

Denny: "Bland and not much going for it. Wasn't bad, just not too good. Rating - 2.0"

Laura: "Very hard to rate objectively, since I do not care for sesame seeds. Rating - 1.0"

Terri: "These cookies are somewhat like a shortbread with sesame seeds. I really like the shortbread flavor, but they may be bland if served alone. These would be great along with a chocolate cookie or chocolate dessert. Also would be great with fruit. Rating - 3.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 2.5

Next week - Caraway Crisps

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Icebox Nut Cookies

Page 144 in the old book / page 178 in the new book

I thought these were very good. They are lemony, very crunchy, and loaded with nuts. I used pecans, but walnuts could also be used.

The recipe gave several options for shaping the dough for slicing. I chose to make a single log, but there weren't any instructions about how long or big around the log should be. Based on the thickness and number of cookies the recipe was supposed to make, I guessed that the log should be about 12 inches long, which made for a very fat log. The cookies were large, but not overly so. The real problem was that because of the size of the log, I had trouble slicing them evenly. If I were to make these again, I would make the log a little smaller around.

I also had some trouble with the cookies running together when baked. The recipe indicated that they should be placed "1/2 to 1 inch apart", but I found that half an inch was too close.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: "The cookie was actually too crunchy and too lemony. The cookie did not soften as you ate it. I did enjoy the pecans. Rating- 3.0"

Denny: "Very good. Couldn't taste the lemon, but lots of pecans. 4.0, maybe higher. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "A crisp, crunchy cookie with the perfect amount of nuts and just a hint of lemon. Yummy! Rating - 3.0"

Terri: "These shortbread type cookies are delicious! The slight lemon flavor adds a mild lemony taste. Very crunchy with the pecans too. These would be great with a sorbet or sherbet. Rating - 4.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.5

Next week - Sesame Fingers

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

Page 143 in the old book / page 177 in the new book

Another plain, but very good cookie. The twist here is that raw sugar is used, which contributes to the crunchy, crumbly texture of the cookies.

I used a natural style peanut butter again for these cookies. I made these once before and remember them having a firmer (not so crumbly) texture. Either I'm remembering wrong, or possibly the peanut butter I used made the difference. It was the same variety, it's just that it had been hanging around longer. If you've ever bought this type of peanut butter, you know that the oil separates out with time. You're supposed to stir it back in, but I always blot it with a paper towel or pour it off. I wind up with some very solid peanut butter (not exactly spreadable!), but I rationalize that it's healthier since it's lower in fat. Next time I'd be tempted to cut back on the butter a little to see what happens, that is unless I've got some old peanut butter hanging around!

Update - I just remembered the other difference. I was out of unsalted butter and used salted butter. Hmmm...

These cookies are a little difficult to slice - they tend to crumble on the bottom edge - but they can easily be mended with your fingers. In spite of these slicing woes, they always seem to bake up to near-perfect circles.

The panel was lukewarm on these cookies, but they did have their fans.

Suzanne: "Whole wheat must mean that the cookie is healthy and therefore we can have as many as we want. I also like anything with peanut butter in them and I like the crunchy texture. Even though the cookie was healthy, had peanut butter and was crunchy, it wasn’t anything special so I gave it a rating of 3. Rating- 3.0"

Denny: "My Aunt Josephine made the best PB cookies ever, so I'm not objective. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Tasty and crunchy and peanutty. A tad crumbly, but still delish. Rating - 3.5"

Terri: "Very tasty, especially if you like peanut butter. These remind me of a shortbread cookie with the peanut butter flavor. Rating - 3.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.1

Next week - Icebox Nut Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Peanut Butter Pillows

Page 142 in the old book / page 176 in the new book

These Peanut Butter Pillows were a hit at my office. Too bad it was such a small batch! The name may sound delicate, but these saucer-sized cookies are anything but. As Terri said, they resemble little pies with their crimped edges and peanut butter filling.

They were not at all difficult to make. The cookies are sliced from a roll like most other icebox cookies, but then a bit of peanut butter is placed between two slices. After sitting at room temperature for a couple minutes, the dough softens and sort of drapes over the peanut butter. You then seal the edge and crimp it with a fork.

I used a natural style peanut butter (just ground peanuts, nothing else) both in the cookie and the filling and was quite pleased with the result. Though it may be that this choice affected the texture of the cookie somewhat. The recipe says that the cookies are crisp, but mine were crisp only on the edges. The cookies were rich and peanutty, and very good.

Unfortunately both Suzanne and Denny were out this week. Herman filled in, but we're down one taster...

Herman: "Your peanut butter cookies are excellent … 4 out of 5!!! They remind me of real peanut butter and have a nice texture. Congratulations!. Rating- 4.0"

Laura: "Crunchy and peanutty delicious! Other peanut butter cookies only dream of being this good! Rating - 5.0"

Terri: "These are outstanding! These are delicious for us peanut butter lovers. This cookie looks like a 'mini-pie' with the peanut butter in the center. Moist and very tasty. Rating - 4.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.5

Next week - Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Oatmeal Icebox Cookies

Page 140 in the old book / page 175 in the new book

I would classify these cookies as old-fashioned cookie jar cookies. They are sweet and crunchy with a generous helping of walnuts. Though they have an open, crunchy texture, they are quite sturdy and I expect they would ship well. With a little ginger and vanilla, they have a distinctive, but mild flavor.

Because of its crunchy, dry texture, I had a hunch that crumbling one over some vanilla ice might be nice. Having no ice cream on hand, I reserved a couple of cookies for that purpose and packed up the rest for the office. The next evening I picked up some vanilla ice cream and treated myself to a little ice cream a la cookie. It was delicious. Hmmm, bet they'd be good on top of some cooked fruit too - sort of like a crumble, buckle, or cobbler. Anyone up for a cookie crumble?

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: The cookie was crunchy but boring. There was nothing attractive about the cookie or appealing to the taste. A granola bar would have been more interesting to eat. Sorry, but this one is only getting a rating of 2. Rating- 2.0"

Denny: "A good cookie. Not spectacular, but good. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Crunchy and yummy! Rating - 4.5"

Herman: "I like oatmeal and crunchy … as a result, my rating on these cookies is 4.5 out of 5. Rating - 4.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.5

Next week - Peanut-Butter Pillows

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Pecan Butterscotch Icebox Cookies

Page 139 in the old book / page 174 in the new book

This week brings another very easy to make butterscotch cookie, but this cookie gets its butterscotch flavor from butter and brown sugar alone. The flavor in these is more subtle and though crunchy, it's not the candy-like crunch of last week's cookie. The milder flavor and less brittle crunch allow the pecans to play a bigger role in the taste and texture of these cookies.

I liked these a lot and appreciated the fact that they were made without butterscotch morsels! They aren't a razzle dazzle cookie - just plain, good and true.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: Delicious! The cookie was thin, crunchy and buttery. I loved the butterscotch and pecan combination. I could eat the whole box. Rating- 5.0"

Denny: "Just a little bit better than the last ones, but I'd still give them a 3. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Crunchy, nutty, and delicious. Rating - 4.0"

Terri: "These cookies have more of a buttery taste than a butterscotch taste. I almost wouldn't notice a butterscotch flavor. The crunchiness of the pecans and thinness (about 1/4" thick) make this a delicious treat. Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

Next week - Oatmeal Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Butterscotch Thins

Page 138 in the old book / page 173 in the new book

These cookies were exceedingly thin and very crunchy. They were fairly average cookies, but even so, they were hard to stop eating. It's sort of like potato chips - there's so little to each one, that it's easy to rationalize that there's no harm in eating just one more.

I found the dough easy to slice, in spite of the fact that these must be cut about one eighth of an inch thick. Don't be tempted to crowd these cookies. Despite the tiny bit of dough in each cookie, they actually do spread a surprising amount.

I was put off by the fact that the butterscotch flavoring in these cookies comes from melted butterscotch morsels, but pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed them. The nuts give these cookies a little visual interest, but are hardly noticeable in such a crunchy cookie. They aren't nearly as fragile as you might think, though they may not be suitable for mailing.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: The cookie was pleasant but not great. The cookie was breakable crunchy and had a definite butterscotch, pecan taste. Since the cookie was thin, I looked for the fattest cookie. I told myself that this was so I could give a fair evaluation to the taste and texture of the cookie. The bad thing is I felt I could have several to make up for the thickness of one cookie. With thoughts like this, how am I ever going to loose those 5 extra pounds? Rating- 3.0"

Denny: "Average - 3.0. Butterscotch overpowered pecans, making them pointless. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Crunchy goodness! The flavor was light and wonderful! Rating - 4.0"

Terri: "These are light and delicious. These wafer-thin cookies have a distinctive butterscotch taste and the pecans add just the right amount of crunchiness. These would be delicious with chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.4

Next week - Pecan Butterscotch Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Fruitcake Icebox Cookies

Page 136 in the old book / page 172 in the new book

A little tamer than last week's cookie, this one is quite attractive and has a wonderful sandy texture. Even though they're called "Fruitcake" Icebox Cookies, the candied fruits are limited to cherries and pineapple, and might even be enjoyed by the fruitcake-adverse.

These buttery cookies are very easy to make, with a limited number of ingredients. I used pecans, but Maida suggests green pistachios as a lovely alternative. The candied fruits play a prominent role, so taste is important. I was glad I had splurged for some candied cherries from France. When I opened the bag, they actually smelled like cherries! Not so for the candied pineapple from the grocery store, I'm afraid. It was merely a vehicle for delivering a not-so-healthy dose of corn syrup. I'd be tempted to use dried pineapple another time. I'm sure it would taste better, my only question is whether it would make the cookies difficult to slice.

Here's the panel...

Suzanne: Shame on me! When Cathy showed me the cookies, I actually turned up my nose at them. When someone as nice as Cathy bakes cookies for us each week, I shouldn’t have a disappointed look on my face. I guess the cookie evaluator job has gone to my head. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised and loved the cookie. I usually don’t like anything with candied fruit in them, but I liked this cookie. Even though it was a butter cookie, it had a subtle butter taste. The cookie had a nice crunch to it and the candied fruit added a delicate sweetness to the flavor. Rating- 4.7"

Denny: "Beautiful-looking, which raised my expectations along with the candied fruits and pecans. The taste was good, but my high expectations were disappointed. Deducting 1 point for no chocolate, I'd give them a 3. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Buttery and sweet (from the yummy fruits). Very tasty! Rating - 3.5"

Terri: "These are delicious with a real buttery flavor to compliment the fruit (cherries and pineapple). I'm not a fan of fruitcake, but the buttery flavor and pecans seem to make the fruits not quite as rich. Rating - 4.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.8

Next week - Fruitcake Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Neapolitans

Page 134 in the old book / page 170 in the new book

"Busy" is the word that comes to mind for these cookies. "Busy" as in cluttered and "busy" as in you're going to be busy for a while making these cookies ;) Unlike some other two-tone cookies, the two doughs for these cookies do not share a common base dough.

Not only are the two doughs made of entirely different recipes, they have different consistencies. This difference is slight after they are baked, but I noticed it and liked the contrast. The different consistencies of the raw doughs created a little problem in assembling the cookies. The light dough is softer than the dark dough, so it squished around a bit when I pressed the top layer of dark dough into the loaf pan that served as a mold. I considered chilling the partially filled loaf pan before adding that final layer of dark dough, but didn't. If you'd prefer cleaner lines in your cookies, sticking the pan in the freezer for a half hour or so might help.

So what is in these cookies? You name it - chocolate, pistachios, brown sugar and spices, currants, lemon, and candied cherries. They have a nice texture, but for all the additions and flavorings, the taste is only average. I kind of wonder if one or the other of these doughs might be more memorable on its own.

The cookie panel was divided on these...

Suzanne: I feel terrible that Cathy put so much work into this cookie and I have to say that this was not my favorite cookie. I could barely taste the brown sugar and chocolate chips. I did enjoy the spices and pistachio and the cookie was crunchy on the edges and soft in the middle. I don’t care for candied fruit in cookies or cakes. Rating - 3.0"

Denny: "Very good. Look fancy and hard to make. Definitely a 4.5. Rating - 4.5"

Herman: "I rate these cookies as 2.5 out of 5 only because I’m not a big fan of pistachios, cherries, and currants in cookies. Rating - 2.5"

Terri: "These cookies are not only delicious, but a work of art! The mixture of the two doughs and spices makes this a wonderful combination. This would be one of my "top 10" picks! Rating - 5.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.8

Next week - Fruitcake Icebox Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Cobblestones

Page 132 in the old book / page 168 in the new book

These are not cookies that stand up and say, "look at me!", yet they are everything I look for in a cookie - delicious, easy-to-make, chewy and satisfying. Though not unusual in any way, they are arguably my favorite cookie in the book.

Cobblestones are the kind of cookie I'd fill my cookie jar with - if I kept one filled (and but for those nasty worries of calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol, I would!) They hold up well over several days and are enjoyed by just about everyone.

These brown sugar and spice cookies are loaded with raisins and walnuts and enriched with butter and sour cream. They are not what you generally think of as an icebox cookie. The dough is pressed into a jelly-roll pan, chilled, and then cut into bars. This technique results in wonderfully thick cookies with a rectangular, "cobblestone" shape.

The cookie panel liked these very much, though perhaps they were not so enamored of them as I...

Suzanne: Even though the cookie had raisins, I actually liked this cookie. It had an interesting rectangle shape. The cookie was soft and therefore the texture fit in with the soft raisins. I loved the spices and found the cookie filling. Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "Very good. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Chewy, nutty-crunchy, and delicious! Rating - 3.5"

Terri: "A delicious mix of nuts and spices make this shapely cookie a real treat. The raisins could be fewer, but this combination is great. Rating - 4.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

Next week - Neapolitans

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Maxines

Page 130 in the old book / page 167 in the new book

These cookies, a brown sugar cookie surrounding a chocolate almond center, are stunning to look at, but in my opinion don't live up to their looks. I was disappointed by the chocolate center. I have never been one to complain that a cookie (or chocolate, for that matter) isn't sweet enough, but I was surprised to find myself thinking that about these cookies. The middles are made only of semisweet chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, almond, and almond and vanilla extracts. Sounds sweet, doesn't it? I suppose my choice of chocolate might have made a difference - the Ghirardelli "Double Chocolate" chips I used claim to be bittersweet chocolate, so they may be a little less sweet then semisweet chocolate chips called for.

Even though I wasn't bowled over by their taste, I really was impressed with their looks and how easy they were to make. The cookie dough is a crumbly mixture when you pull it out of the mixer, but pulls together without much trouble and rolling it out between sheets of wax paper isn't hard at all. Unlike most icebox cookies, these required very little chilling time. The middle sets up in the freezer while you prepare the cookie dough. Because the cookies are sliced so thick (1/2 inch), they really don't need much more than half an hour in the freezer after the cookie dough is wrapped around the middle.

These were so well-received and are so nice looking that I'll probably be tempted to make them again, perhaps as part of a selection of cookies. Poor Suzanne had sort of a cookie identity crisis...

Suzanne: To my surprise, I did not care for this cookie. How could it be? The cookie was so attractive with its square shape and the center filled with chocolate and nuts. I love chocolate and nuts. It’s my favorite type of cookie. I might have to rethink my place in this universe. Am I really a chocoholic? What’s happening to my taste buds? Are they changing and if so, what are they changing into? Well maybe it’s just that I’m getting older and my teeth are getting soft, but I found the cookie hard to bite into. Even the chocolate and nut center was difficult to bite. I would have preferred a soft, creamy, yet nutty center. I guess time will tell whether I’m still a chocoholic or not. Rating - 2.5"

Denny: "Excellent. Looked terrific! Crunchy on the outside and chewy with nuts in the middle. A little bit of coconut would make them a 5.0. Rating - 4.9"

Laura: "One word: De-lish! With cookies like this, you could quit your job and go into cookie making full time! (a la CakeLove!) Rating - 5.0"

Terri: "These are outstanding! A wonderful combination of chocolate, crunchiness, and a delicious flavor from the almonds. And I'm not a great chocolate lover. The cookie dough crust surrounding the chocolate and almonds make this a really attractive cookie. This hit the spot with my morning coffee! Rating - 5.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.4

Next week - Cobblestones

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Wienerstube Cookies

Page 128 in the old book / page 166 in the new book

Zarah and Martin left Friday morning and are now somewhere between here and San Francisco. We had a really wonderful visit capped by a meet-up with several illustrious food bloggers in NYC: Julie, Jen and Luisa. More about all that later - I promise - but first I have a very belated Mondays with Maida post to see to...

These rather plain looking cookies are quite good. They are made with cocoa, lots of butter, and a number of spices: cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. With all that spice, I expected them to be spicy hot, but instead found they had a pleasant warmth which complemented the chocolate nicely.

I sliced them slightly too thick - reducing the number of cookies in the batch, but also affecting their texture. I think they should have been crunchy through and through, but instead they were crunchy on the edges only. Even so, I had no complaints about the texture, nor did anyone else.

As Terri suggests, these would be very good with ice cream... in fact I was thinking they would make nice little ice cream sandwiches (maybe strawberry?) Herman is filling in for Suzanne this week in his cookie review debut...

Herman: "...rich, chocolaty... 4/5 only because I like nuts!! Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "Very nice. Chocolaty and not too much spice. I heard the spice before I tasted them and I thought they might be strange, but they are very good. Rating - 4.0"

Laura: "Moist and chocolaty, with just a hint of spice. Very nice! Rating - 4.0"

Terri: "These chocolate "spice" cookies are delicious and light. Not too chocolaty and not too spicy! These would be delicious with vanilla ice cream. (That's OK Cathy, we don't expect that too!) Rating - 3.5"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.9

Next week - Maxines

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - Black-and-White Coconut Slices

Page 126 in the old book / page 164 in the new book

Zarah is here! Zarah is here! Actually, I should say, Zarah and Martin are here! And I'm enjoying their company way too much to sit here writing about cookies, so this will be short but sweet...

These attractive little cookies are much easier to make than they may at first appear. The square shape is relatively easy to form and very easy to slice. The moist and chewy pecan/coconut center is almost candy-like and a little reminiscent of the icing you find on German chocolate cake. It is surrounded by a sandy chocolate cookie. The entire package was a little like a filled chocolate, but with a cookie shell.

I thought they were very good, as did most of the cookie panel...

Suzanne: "The cookie was square shaped with chocolate on the outside and a coconut pecan center. The black and white cookie was aesthetically pleasing. The taste reminded me of an “Almond Joy” candy bar, even though the nut was a pecan and not an almond. The cookie had just the right amount of crunch to it and of course the coconut pecan center was scrumptious. Rating - 5.0"

Denny: "I rated these a 3.0. Couldn't really taste the cream cheese or pecans, but the coconut came through. I love cream cheese and pecans so I would've liked them better with a little more of each. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Almost too yummy for words - chocolate is wonderfully delicate in flavor and coconut/cream cheese centers are moist and chewy. Delicious - 4.75... nah, make that 5! Rating - 5.0"

Terri: "A delicious mix of chocolate (more like cocoa) with a chewy coconut center. These are a very decorative cookie with the coconut center bordered by the chocolate. Delicious. Rating - 4.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 4.3

Next week - Wienerstube Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Mondays with Maida - New Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies

Page 125 in the old book / page 163 in the new book

Rather uncharacteristically, Maida provides no background on this cookie or its origin at the start of the recipe, but I believe these New Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies are so named because of the pine nuts in them. None of the other ingredients, or the cookies themselves for that matter, brings to mind New Mexico or the southwest. I might have felt otherwise if I had actually used pine nuts, but at the last minute I realized I was out and had to fall back on one of Maida's suggested substitutions - pecans.

I should mention that there is some nutmeg in these cookies, which gives them a slightly more exotic flavor than your run-of-the-mill chocolate chip cookies. The other thing that is a little different is that the chocolate is ground (or finely chopped) before being added to the dough. I liked the taste, but it was the texture of the cookie that I found most satisfying - crunchy outside and chewy inside.

The dough for these cookies is frozen in a loaf pan. The "loaf" is cut in two lengthwise and then the cookies are sliced and baked. I ended up with 60 cookies - slightly less than yield stated in the recipe (66) - due in part to the size of my loaf pan. I was aiming for slicing the cookies 1/4" thick, but worried that I was slicing them too thickly and wound up with some too-thin cookies (which had no chewy middle). Next time I would shoot for 3/8" slices.

Terri, who has graciously pinch-hit in for absent cookie panelists on many occasions, joins the cookie panel full-time starting this week...

Suzanne: "I expected the cookie to taste like a chocolate chip cookie except the cookie is square, but it had a slightly different taste. The cookie has a small amount of nutmeg which I could definitely taste. I’m not a big fan of nutmeg even though I know from all the cooking shows on TV that everyone loves nutmeg. I did like the texture of the cookie. The cookie was crunchy on the edges and softer in the middle. I also enjoyed the chocolate chips and nuts. Rating - 4.0"

Denny: "Crunchy and chocolatey are my two favorites in a cookie but something in them detracts a bit from the overall cookie. Ginger or some other spice? I'd give them a 3. Rating - 3.0"

Laura: "Crunchy chocolatey goodness. Rating - 4.0"

Terri: "Since I don't consider myself a 'chocolate lover' these cookies had just the right amount of chocolate. These are very similar to a chocolate chip cookie except the slivers of chocolate make them less chunky. The pecans add a flavorful touch - crunchy and chewy. Rating - 4.0"

Overall rating by the panel - 3.8

Next week - Black-and-White Coconut Slices

Nutrition Facts